Past ScholarDonisha Duff

Donisha descended from Moa and Badu Islands in the Torres Strait and the Yadhaigana and Wuthathi people in Cape York.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from Griffith University and a Masters in Business Administration from Australian National University.

As a 2014 Roberta Sykes Fellow she completed a Summer School Program in Business Management at the Harvard Business School as part of her MBA.

Donisha served as a former Advisor (Indigenous Health) to Warren Snowden MP, Minister for Indigenous Health and is a visiting Research Fellow at the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI).

Report to the Foundation:

The Summer School Program at Harvard University is now officially over. It is hard to believe that 8 weeks ago I arrived in Boston, Massachusetts. So much activity has been packed into this time and I have found the experience invaluable - even life-changing.

To have now realised a long-held personal aspiration to study at Harvard University is extremely satisfying and inspiring.

At the commencement of the summer school program I hoped to achieve 3 goals:

To attain good marks in my enrolled courses

To establish a network of contacts with other students

To establish contacts with Harvard University administration and staff

Goal 1: To attain good marks in my enrolled coursesWhile the final grades for each of my courses are yet to be finalized, I have currently achieved 2 x Bs and 2 x B+s. The final week of the summer school term was exam week. I completed 2 pieces of assessment that were significant to the final grade for both courses. A final paper (5,000 words) worth 30% was submitted for the 'Systems Thinking' course. I sat a 3-hour exam worth 30% for the 'Cross-Border Innovation' course.

I am currently taking leave from the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program at the Australian National University (ANU). Prior to leaving to attend Harvard University Summer School, I contacted the ANU MBA Coordinator and the ANU Head of the Crawford Business School and received approval for the credit to be transferred towards completion of my MBA.

Goal 2: To establish a network of contacts with other studentsBoth of my courses comprised of up to 50 students, mostly international. While I did not personally get to meet each of the other students, collectively the class had the opportunity to learn about other people’s backgrounds, experiences and areas of interests. Each of the courses required group projects to be delivered every week. There was ample opportunity to get to know each of my fellow group members very well.

Since the conclusion of both courses, a network has been established of all students and lecturers on Linkedin.

There are plans underway for the first class reunion of the 'Systems Thinking' course in Europe in 6 to 12 months to continue the system thinking approach and analysis within our respective professional areas.

I have also received invitations from colleagues to visit Russia, China, Greece/ Cyprus, India, the United Kingdom and also return to the United States.

Goal 3: To establish contacts with Harvard University administration and staffA number of students within the 'Systems Thinking' course were staff at Harvard University. With the establishment of network on Linkedin, I have had direct contact and offers of assistance from a number of staff working in Harvard University Marketing, the Business School and the Kennedy School.

I have established and will continue to maintain contact with my professors and some key guest lecturers, such as Professor Lloyd Williams (Yale University; Institute for Transformative Thought and Learning).

At the conclusion of the course, Professor Mark Esposito ('Systems Thinking') extended an offer to interested students to submit academic articles on systems thinking for a book that he is co-editing for publication in late 2012, and two other journals for publication in 2012. Professor Esposito also extended an invitation to work with him on future projects and conference papers.

In addition, I took the opportunity to visit the Harvard University Native American Program. While there were not many staff and students on campus during the summer school program, I met with administrative staff and made a donation of support to their program.

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to visit a number of other places in the United States and learn about the US history. In the past 8 weeks, I have been able to visit Disneyland (Anaheim), Boston and surrounding areas, Salem, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and New York City.

Mr Tim Goodwin, the current Roberta Sykes Harvard Club Scholar, and I have been emailing each other since late July. We were both scheduled to be in New York City in mid-August and attempted to meet over coffee, however this did not come to pass.

I have been in contact with the Torres News and the Koori Mail about publishing an article about my time spent at Harvard University. An article for the Torres News will be printed in the next edition (expected end August).

I am still in discussion with the editor of the Koori Mail about an article, possibly when I return to Australia in September.

Overall, I have found the opportunity to attend Harvard University and study the Summer School program to be so invaluable. I feel that I have achieved each of the goals that I set.

I have been intellectually challenged by the discourse and the different perspectives of other students. I have met a number of very smart, accomplished international colleagues. I have established network contacts with professionals who are genuinely committed to global change and willing to provide assistance. I have made a number of personal friendships that will be long-lasting.

In the next few weeks, I will be on holiday in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Upon return to Australia, I will be translating and applying the knowledge and approaches learnt at Harvard University back to my job as Adviser (Indigenous Health).

In the longer-term, I am interested in pursuing a number of different options including working internationally, assisting projects within Australia (corporate, not-for-profit & philanthropic), and further research and academic opportunities.

I am extremely grateful to the Board and Staff of the Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation and the Aurora Project for the opportunity to attend Harvard University Summer School and the support they have provided to me.

I look forward to working together in the future to provide these opportunities to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Donisha Duff19 August 2011

UPDATE Donisha received a 'B+' for the 'Cross Border Innovation' course and an 'A-' for the 'Systems Thinking' course.